Larsmed
Sr. Member
- Jan 10, 2007
- 440
- 45
- Detector(s) used
- Tesoro Sandshark, bh jr.
- Primary Interest:
- Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Shipwreck history anyone?
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Amazing Find On the Bottom of a River
An amazingly well-preserved barge that dates from the Roman Empire has been recovered from the bottom of the Rhine River, making it the oldest shipwreck ever found in The Netherlands, reports The Associated Press.
Dating to 180 A.D. when Marcus Aurelius passed the crown to the emperor Commodus, the 75-foot, flat-bottomed Roman military ship is one of only a few ever found north of the Alps. The exterior of the barge, as well as its masthead and iron nails, are all intact even though it's more than 1,800 years old. Inside, archaeologists found treasures of the times: A decorated chest complete with a lock and key that are in near-mint condition, as well as the remains of a bed or couch and wooden stool legs made of walnut and carved with spiral grooves.
"What's really exciting is that the type [of ship] is slightly different from others that have been found," maritime archaeologist Andre van Holk, who oversaw the excavation, told AP. "It's longer and thinner." It's also constructed from massive oak planks. Since oak is not native to this part of the world, researchers suspect it came from France or Germany.
The ship was found in De Meern, which is just west of Utrecht and near what was once the site of a Roman military camp. Archaeologists have also found several Roman watchtowers in the same vicinity. When the ship sank, it apparently contained no cargo, but archaeologists think its narrow construction meant it was used as a paymaster that sailed up and down the Rhine River with supplies for military camps and bases along the waterfront. The Romans originally came to the area that is now The Netherlands in about 53 B.C. during the reign of Julius Caesar. The Rhine River became one border of the Roman Empire.
How can a ship that is 1,800 years old be so well-preserved? Well after the time of the Romans, the Rhine changed course and that caused the area around De Meern to be buried under a deep layer of mud, clay, and sand, including the ship. Because it was covered in this muck--and not rotting in a watery grave--it has remained intact all these years. Van Holk speculates the ship went down due to some sort of accident, perhaps a storm on the river since the flat-bottom construction would have made it prone to tipping over and capsizing.
AP reports that other items were also found in the shipwreck: leather shoe soles, complete with studded bottoms for extra strength; a knife and saw; a wooden shovel; shears; a copper pot; clay cups and pots; a paddle with traces of blue paint; a perfectly preserved iron crowbar, and a piece of wood with Roman numerals.
=======================
Amazing Find On the Bottom of a River
An amazingly well-preserved barge that dates from the Roman Empire has been recovered from the bottom of the Rhine River, making it the oldest shipwreck ever found in The Netherlands, reports The Associated Press.
Dating to 180 A.D. when Marcus Aurelius passed the crown to the emperor Commodus, the 75-foot, flat-bottomed Roman military ship is one of only a few ever found north of the Alps. The exterior of the barge, as well as its masthead and iron nails, are all intact even though it's more than 1,800 years old. Inside, archaeologists found treasures of the times: A decorated chest complete with a lock and key that are in near-mint condition, as well as the remains of a bed or couch and wooden stool legs made of walnut and carved with spiral grooves.
"What's really exciting is that the type [of ship] is slightly different from others that have been found," maritime archaeologist Andre van Holk, who oversaw the excavation, told AP. "It's longer and thinner." It's also constructed from massive oak planks. Since oak is not native to this part of the world, researchers suspect it came from France or Germany.
The ship was found in De Meern, which is just west of Utrecht and near what was once the site of a Roman military camp. Archaeologists have also found several Roman watchtowers in the same vicinity. When the ship sank, it apparently contained no cargo, but archaeologists think its narrow construction meant it was used as a paymaster that sailed up and down the Rhine River with supplies for military camps and bases along the waterfront. The Romans originally came to the area that is now The Netherlands in about 53 B.C. during the reign of Julius Caesar. The Rhine River became one border of the Roman Empire.
How can a ship that is 1,800 years old be so well-preserved? Well after the time of the Romans, the Rhine changed course and that caused the area around De Meern to be buried under a deep layer of mud, clay, and sand, including the ship. Because it was covered in this muck--and not rotting in a watery grave--it has remained intact all these years. Van Holk speculates the ship went down due to some sort of accident, perhaps a storm on the river since the flat-bottom construction would have made it prone to tipping over and capsizing.
AP reports that other items were also found in the shipwreck: leather shoe soles, complete with studded bottoms for extra strength; a knife and saw; a wooden shovel; shears; a copper pot; clay cups and pots; a paddle with traces of blue paint; a perfectly preserved iron crowbar, and a piece of wood with Roman numerals.
